Even with new building, Phoenix Theatre still underfunded

Last week, the Phoenix Theatre broke ground for construction on its new facilities, a building that will provide long-needed facilities for its artists and make an impact on the Indianapolis arts scene through classes, collaborations with smaller performance groups and a professional environment for burgeoning artists.

I applaud the community for supporting the company in its move. The $7.3 million raised so far for the $9 million project includes donations from foundations that have been cornerstones of the city’s cultural scene for decades — the Lilly Endowment, Frank and Katrina Basile, the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation, and so on.

But here’s what no one’s talking about.

These investments bely the fact that the Phoenix Theatre has always been, and still is, criminally underfunded.

Working as an arts reporter in Indianapolis, I found the Phoenix Theatre to be one of the city’s most innovative arts organizations. Yet the company’s paltry $1 million budget means that its mission to presenting great contemporary drama risks compromise.

Take its current season. The company will produce the transgender-focused “Hir,” by Taylor Mac, who last week was named a Pulitzer finalist in the Drama category and is considered in the industry to be among the most exciting artists working in New York; “An Act of God,” a subversive take on the Bible by a writer for “The Daily Show”; and the fantastic “Sex with Strangers,” which explores the clashing of age, race and ego through a funny, relatable romance.

But this is not $1 million-a-year programming. Look at the other organizations putting on these plays elsewhere in the country, and the Phoenix Theatre is often the smallest-budget of the bunch. In most other cities, the leading contemporary theater company should have $5 to $10 million to work with.

This can’t be right. As the Phoenix Theatre readies itself for its new building’s grand opening in 2018, Indianapolis must realize that a bigger theater will also need bigger audiences and bigger investments. The onus isn’t just on the donors. Ticket-paying audiences should reward the Phoenix by showing up to challenging titles like 2015’s “The Nether,” instead of reinforcing the idea that they prefer safe, traditional works.

Artistic Director Bryan Fonseca is the first to tell you that more resources for his company isn’t just a treat. It’s a game changer. It means he can, with less financial worry, pursue the organization’s vision to “challenge the mind, touch the heart, and inspire the human spirit.” It means the Phoenix Theatre could be the Big Car of Indianapolis theater — a group that boosts the local ecosystem and draws national attention by pushing social and artistic boundaries.

So, if you want to see one of Indianapolis’ best arts organizations reach its full potential, check out their already high-caliber programming, acknowledge that it’s special — and vote with your wallet.

Chen is theater critic for the Houston Chronicle and a former arts reporter for the the IndyStar.